I figured since the other thread seems to be for people who don't intend to read the book, I'd make one for the people who are.
So, eh…here you go. I don't have much to add. I love the Harry Potter books, but I'm not really getting into the hype for this one. I'll read it whenever my little brother is done with it.
I was so close to reserving it. But, I figured that I could wait. I remember when I reserved Goblet of Fire, and the store gave me a fake receipt. Man; I was pissed.
im reading it right now my little sister got it but she is finishing another book so she gave it to me to read first im almost done. im enjoying it but not as much as i enjoyed some of the last ones and harry seems alot more mature he doesnt go breaking a rull every 5 seconds
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Originally Posted by the ONION
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I finished it on Sunday. EXCELLENT book, definitely one of the betters in the series. I'll say nothing more, to avoid spoiling for those who don't like spoilers.
I finished it on Sunday. I was a great HP book, although the fourth will always be the best in my eyes. Probably my second fave. Anyways, I can't wait to scream out all the spoilers I can think of at my camp. Mwhahahaa….
I had it on Sat morning but i only started reading in the late afternoon. finished it in 5 hours. i loved it.
This one definetly is one of the better ones. I mean the ending, I was Like OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I swear I was soo close to crying. Also I thought the whole weird love fest thing was fucking hillarious
Totally agree on everything that has been said…
The love thingy was kinda a shocked,who'd had guess Harry even liked her...but Ron's love story is better...more action hahaha.
Definitely the 2nd best book after Goblet of Fire. My pick of titles
1 - Goblet of Fire
2 - Half blood prince
3 - Order of the Phoenix
4 - Prisoner of Azkaban
5 - Chamber of Secrets
6 - Philosofers Stone
The ending...yeah, I was close to crying too...but I am happy cos I believe next book we might see a darker and more aggressive Harry...GO!!!
As for the R.A.B thingy...I suspect it is a way to bring back a supposedly dead character...I think its Sirius's brother: Regulus A. Black
Well, we will see...:)
the best one so far, IMO.
i've got some thoughts that i'll put in the other thread, as i don't want to spoil people here.
There is supposedly a copy of this book sitting on top of my washing machine, Not even touched. I don't want to start reading it because I don't know if it's for me as a birthday present, or if it's someone elses gift. I've been tempted, but I've resisted. Looks really good though.
Read it and I won't say I like it though it is definitely good IMO. I am not a huge fan of Potter for now..
The ending was kinda sad though, with Dumbledore being killed and all.
JKR can't write romance ^^; Which is fine by me, because it's not the focus of the book at all, but it really causes an explosion at fandom_wank. The internet HP fandom = scary.
I still need to digest the book by reading it second time. Cried at the last chapter though. The part when they show all the characters.
At the least, book six in the Harry Potter series does what it needs to: it moves the characters along in their personal and magical development; it fills in some previous gaps of knowledge; especially with regard to Voldemort's past; it continues to raise the level of urgency and danger as previous books have, it adds a few more mysteries/cliffhangers; and it ends with a clear pointing toward a final climactic battle. The problem, though, is that the book does the least one would expect and no more.
Placing it in the context of the earlier books, I'd argue that book three (Prisoner of Azkaban) is the strongest book so far. It's leaner than the last three, more focused, and has the greatest emotional impact. After Azkaban, I'd put book five (Order of the Phoenix) as the next strongest. Though a bit overlong, especially in the lengthy battle scene at the end, Phoenix shows a growth in character (especially in the admirably risky way that Rowling allows Harry to be an unlikable teenager) and a deeper emotional impact (especially when Harry learns more about his father as a youth) than the others. Book four (Goblet of Fire) suffers from being way too long and formulaic, while Book One, though much shorter, is simply average. Leaving Book Two (Chamber of Secrets) as the "middle quality" book–better than books one and four, not as strong as books three and five. Half-Blood Prince falls in along with Chamber of Secrets.
The book opens somewhat differently than the others, with a promising look at the Muggle side of things--specifically the interaction between the Muggle Prime Minister and his magical counterpart, who in recent years has had to keep the Muggle Prime Minister informed of what's been happening with the wizardly criminals, most recently the return of Voldemort (a known Muggle murderer). We move on from there to the more usual beginning--the impending return to Hogwarts (unfortunately, the Muggle connection is dropped completely).
As we've come to expect, Harry, Hermione, and Ron go through their typical preparations (getting books and robes etc), this time under heavy security as battle is being waged between the wizards and the Death Eaters (several wizards have already been killed, an event that occurs pretty regularly in the book; though mentioned mostly as asides there is a lot more death in this one than previous ones). They then go to school and attend their various classes, get in confrontations with Draco Malfoy and Professor Snape, play Quidditch, and do battle with Voldemort.
Without going into spoilers, the specifics involve Harry's absolute belief that Draco has been tasked with a specific job by Voldemort (and his running dispute with Hermione and Ron over that), Harry's absolute belief that Snape can't be trusted (and his running dispute with Dumbledore over that), Dumbledore's staggered revelations to Harry about Voldemort's past (beginning with Voldemort's parents), several attempts at murder within Hogwarts, and Dumbledore's increasingly active role in trying to weaken Voldemort and his increased willingness to let Harry take part. The sidestories involve Harry, Ron, and Hermione's growing romantic entanglements and, of course, Quidditch.
The plot never really reaches the point of being compelling. There is a lot of talk in the book, too much so, with Dumbledore especially doing a lot of explaining of things. By now the Quidditch material has mostly grown tiresome and while there is less of it here than in some other books, it mostly bogs the story down, even if only for a short while. The sections on Voldemort are interesting from an information standpoint though not particularly dramatic and the staggered means of conveying them to Harry (and thus to the reader) seems overly contrived. As does Dumbledore's need to "confirm" some things. It all seems too artificial a means to manipulate the reading experience. The scenes with Draco and Snape are nothing we haven't seen before. We know they're supposed to feel more intense since things are clearly coming to a head with Voldemort, but they are overly familiar and so robbed of any true sense of urgency and intensity with the exception of the final scene. Harry's discovery and use of a strange book with anonymous writing in it is also a bit too familiar from past books in the series. The romance adds a light touch and a sense of reality, but nothing unexpected. The book picks up in originality and intensity only toward the very end as Dumbledore and Harry begin a more active response to taking on Voldemort (though here as well some of the plot seems too contrived and the major revelation with regard to Voldemort not strikingly original).
As advertised, there is a major death in the book. Without giving a spoiler, I'll just say it's not all that unexpected and while the death sparks some obvious emotion, I'm not sure it really feels earned. It certainly doesn't have the emotional impact of Harry looking in the mirror at his folks or hearing his mother when the dementor's are around or seeing his father's patronus or seeing what happened between his father and Snape--all of which were more natural and more deeply felt.
The plot therefore is mostly serviceable, perhaps even disappointing. Harry's character continues to mature--one starts to see him truly coming into his own independence in fits and starts. The other characters don't really undergo much development beyond what we've seen. And one wishes Rowling would trust the characters' actions/descriptions to convey things without her having to clue us in by telling us someone was "raging" or someone said something "firmly" or "angrily".
The book gets us to the point it needs to--a more mature, more independent and confident and determined Harry bound to finish things one way or the other with Voldemort, joined by his equally determined friends. But it doesn't get us there with the spark of some of the earlier books or the originality or the emotional depth/impact of some of them. And for the first time one senses a writer behind the scenes manipulating things all too artificially. For those reasons Half-Blood Prince, while a decent book, doesn't rise to the level of Azkaban or Phoenix. Here's hoping the final one does.
(a review form Amazon) i agree more or less with this.
well i don't agree with the amazon review. i also think that the third book is the best one so far but i think that the order of the phoenix is the worst because it's really too long and very slow. it bothered me quite often.
at least, the half blood prince is my second favorite. of course you don't learn too much things but you can't forget that it's a child book, people just emphasize it too much. rowling can't do several twisted plots or children will get lost.
this one made in a hurry to read, with the will to know what will happen next. that didn't happen since the book 3.
I think this is my favourite HP book, with Goblet coming up 2nd. The romance was a little odd, and it seemed to dominate roughly half the book. Hmmmm…
Oh well, there were some cool parts and it kept you guessing.
The book wasn't the best of the HP books. My favorite in order are:
1)Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
2)Harry Potter and The Pirosoner of Azkaban
3)Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets
4)Harry Potter and The Order of The Pheonix
5)Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
6)Harry Potter and The Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone
I didn't like the 6th book much because it focused a lot on romance, and that's somethnig I didn't want/like in Harry Potter. Also there weren't many good twists or mysteries in this book, most of the things that happened were expected really.
But IMO this book had the best ending from the rest, it's the most one that made me anxious to read the next book.
Had it pre-order from Barnes & Noble, read it in 5 hours. When I was reading it, I remember thinking that it read like a fanfiction from Fiction Alley. This book has its moments, but I am horribly disappointed at the end because I think Rowling rushes the whole plot too much. In the end, I got bored and just skimmed through the ending. I wasn't even surprised by you-know-who's death.
I'd rather have it 700-800 pages long if it means NOT sacrificing the writing and the atmosphere building. I mean, c'mon! It's good that she finally establishes the canonical romance, but to build a whole tangled web of love? To finally introduce the Horcruxes at the second to last book?
If this one is not the size of a baby hippo, then the seventh one must be at the size of a full-grown hippo if Rowling wants to maintain a certain standard. Too many loose ends to tie. I just hope that she won't pull a Deus ex Machina at the very very end.
I bought it today, and im on side 148, and its good so far..
Hmm, looks like people complained about the draginess of book 5. She shortens it and now people say book 6 is too hasten. I hope book 7 is both long and not draggy.
I read it from 8 am to 4 pm straight! Even when I'm in the car I didn't put my book down XD
The suspense is build in an amazingly good way, and there are numerous parts that made me go 'Aha' and 'Indeed'. Other parts made me wonder whether I was reading fanfiction or not.. I had to glance at the book cover to convince myself. But! I still swear the first two chapters are fanfiction. And I'm utterly utterly positive JK reads Cassie Claire's DT.
And sadly, JK cannot write romance. I know she stried but it's just. Ick. I'm sorry, JK. But obviously, the whole lovefest is simply filler for her 600 pages.
music's never loud enough
Originally posted by meethz@Jul 24 2005, 10:44 AM
**I read it from 8 am to 4 pm straight! Even when I'm in the car I didn't put my book down XD[snapback]95446[/snapback]**
i hope u werent driving 
Gosh, i've been reading Harry Potter Since i was 12.
HBP, is as what many people have said it to be, really heart-wrenching. I really did love looking into Tom Riddle's past, that was really super :lol:
Finished the book 3 days ago.
My favourites are in accordance:
1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
4. Harry Potter and the Philosoper Stone
5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
…the books are big with not enough pictures...i love pictures...
i usually wait for the movie..
pity things are always taken out.
quickly, my favorites:
1: prisonner of azkaban
2: the half blood prince
3: the goblet of fire
4: the chamber of secrets
5: the order of the phoenix
6: the sorcerer's stone
currently reading robert jordan's wheel of time book 8 and thinking: "well, harry potter is really childish compared to it, but at least i can remember every names…"
I didn't read it yet but planned to. The book is too expensive so I'm waiting for the summer to be over and borrowed it from the school's library. Is this version good or bad?
Very good in my opinion. Top ratings for it unless you hate the part where someone died.
I finished to read it on Monday and, i shall say, this is maybe the book i appreciated less… i still enjoyed it because in this one a lot of things were explained, but there are some points i just cannot stand 
... the odd romance is one of the points...
Right now, my favourite list is:
1-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
4-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
5-Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone
6-Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
3 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
5 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
6 Harry Potter and the CHamber of Secrets
I finished the book on the 16th (nearly midnight)
it's too short, the book.. too much information for 600 pages
yeah i agree if she made it longer she could have taken her time and made a better book i dont mind a longer book if it makes the story better
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Originally Posted by the ONION
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The book was okay. Although it kind of felt like reading a fanfiction. >_<
And the book felt so.. short.. And as Rakuen said; It was too much information for 600 pages.
I think I put down the books every time (but one) when they were to look at those damn memories. The only interesting one was the "most important one".
I shall not write anything more because I will just spoil for those who still havent' read it.
..::<3::..
I believe this is the last book that we will get to see some major chatacter developments. The next installment should be pretty fast paced with lots of action so we probably won't be seeing much of any major character development.
Well, I'll just wait patiently for the 7th book and I certainly hope it ends up being called Harry Potter, the Son of the Dark Lord or something XD
Yeh. In this book, they were major.
The seventh book will probably be.. not a lot like the other books. As Harry probably won't go back to Hogwarts.
They will probably bring it back at the end of the book somehow. I mean JK Rowling wont want the kids thinking it's good to skip the last year of school or something… XD
Haha, true true. I mean.. It wouldn't be the same without Hogwarts.
Although Draco probably won't come back to Hogwarts.
The things that shocked me most in the book was when Draco cried and then was hit by that spell that Harry cast. I actually yelled "No way!" out load. ^^;;
haha, why're you calling him using his first name? I don't really like him much though I pity him for being loaded with the mission of ******* **********….
Well, I don't really know what to expect in the 7th book now that both important characters are gone. hm..
Because his firstname is so cute. ^^
Ah, yes. I felt so sorry for him. It was unfair that he had to get all that pressure. But it was really mean of him to do what he did to Harry on the train. But, of course, I like evil. 
Mostly.
It was a pity, poor Draco getting thrown to one side all because of Lucius. Don't worry, althought ********* was killed, i'm very sure the DA and the OTP will play a part in book 7 for harry.
Of course they will. ^^
I mean, people die, but you can't stop saving the world just because they do.
Somehow the plot is going to be something like Star Wars. Imagine in book 7.
Harry:You killed my parents!
Voldemort: No Harry, they were not your parents. I am!
Harry: Noooo!!!!
But still, more deaths to come in book 7. We might even see Harry himself die. Hope he does, I can have Ginny all to myself
Hahaha. xD
Well, as long as the Weasley Twins are still alive.. And Draco.. maybe..
But mostly the Weasley Twins because they are so funny and they kick ass.
But really. What an amusing end it would be if Harry died.
..::<3::..
The weasley twins, i love them so much. I think they are the ones that always brought life to the story, kind of reminds me of my friends. They will be a powerful ally to harry, since they are so good in charms. Even hermione admitted that they're good.
Yeh. I'm amazed that they didn't get more OWLs than they got. Because they are amazingly good on all those things.
Come to think of it, the twins did not get the number of owls added together that can be compared to ron. Ron had 6? I assumed the twins had owls in charms,DADA and maybe transfiguration.
I don't remember how many Ron had, but it was probably six or something.
It was 6. I'm rereading it at the current moment. Any predictions on whose going to die next? I say someone close to Harry will. As usual.
Wouldn't suprise me if it was one or more of the Weasleys. Maybe Percy.. I wouldn't mind if it was him. (No offence to people who like him, but I don't think he made the right choice after the goblet of fire.)
At lease we know he won't die until the end of book 7. I wouldn't like to see one of the gang of three to die, it would be as sad as him dying…
Maybe it's not Voldermort saying that, but Snape actually telling Harry he is Harry's father and then Snape will turn against Voldermort and kill Voldermort before killing himself.. That would be nice XD
Hmmx, Snape MIGHT turn against Voldermort. I always have faith in Dumbledore's decision. He always does things for a reason. Since Snape is most probably the key step to Voldemort. He has to "return" back to the dark side so that Harry has some form of an advantage even though he hates Snape's guts.
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That would make the story really wierd. As Dumbledore says, the mistakes he make will be far greater and in this case, sad to say, he might have been wrong.
True, he is a man who makes mistakes and not some sage. Do not forget, Snape is good at Occulmency. He can hide lots of stuff from a lot of people including Dumbledore and Voldermort. I'm not surprised that even Voldermort would have trouble doing Legilimency on Snape. I rather go for a happy ending (although I'm still dreaming of a girl similar to Ginny in my life. Damn you Harry!) then a dark one.
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